Non School Organisations Program

Department of Education

2016 – 2018 Reporting Requirements

Guidelines

Contents INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................ 3

REPORTING TIMEFRAMES ........................................................................................................................................ 3

OVERVIEW OF REPORTING DOCUMENTS ................................................................................................................. 4

SCHEDULE 1A – FUNDING SCHEDULE ................................................................................................................... 4

SCHEDULE 2 – PROGRESS REPORT ........................................................................................................................ 4

AUDIT STATEMENT ............................................................................................................................................... 4

STAFFING INFORMATION AND MONITORING COMMITTEE ................................................................................. 5

SCHEDULE 3 – PROJECT EVALUATION REPORT .................................................................................................... 5

SCHEDULE 4 – CERTIFICATE OF EXPENDITURE ..................................................................................................... 6

COMPLETING YOUR REPORTS .................................................................................................................................. 7

SCHEDULE 2 – PROGRESS REPORT ........................................................................................................................ 7

AUDIT STATEMENT ............................................................................................................................................... 7

STAFFING INFORMATION AND MONITORING COMMITTEE ................................................................................. 8

SCHEDULE 3 – PROJECT EVALUATION REPORT .................................................................................................... 9

SCHEDULE 4 – CERTIFICATE OF EXPENDITURE ................................................................................................... 13

GLOSSARY ............................................................................................................................................................... 16

INTRODUCTION

Evaluation of the performance of funded projects is core to the NSO Program. With a limited budget to respond to the support needs of schools and eligible students with disability, it is critical that projects can demonstrate they are providing an effective and efficient service to help maximise learning outcomes for students.

The Service Delivery Requirements and Reporting Requirements in the Service Agreement stipulate the type of reporting necessary and the due dates. These Guidelines provide an overview of each reporting document and a step by step guide explaining how to complete each report.

REPORTING TIMEFRAMES

Under the Service Agreement You will deliver the following documents and reports to Us at the times specified below:

January 2016

After receiving the Letter of Offer, You must return within a six-week period, the completed and signed Service Agreement - Funding and Service Details in duplicate.

First payment of funds will be released to You upon receipt of: 1. completed and signed documentation; and 2. satisfactory accountability documentation from the previous year for all funded

projects.

February/March – each year

Anticipated first half payment of funds for the calendar year.

June 2016 only

Staffing Information and Monitoring Committee Form.

June – each year

Schedule 2 – Progress Report – identifying whether the expenditure of funds is on track. If spending is not on target, You are to contact the Principal Advisor to determine whether a refund or reallocation is necessary.

Audit Statement – verifying project expenditure relating to the previous calendar year in line with Service Agreement requirements.

July/August - each year

Anticipated second half payment of funds for the calendar year - released upon receipt of satisfactory accountability documentation.

December – each year

Schedule 3 – Project Evaluation Report.

Schedule 4 – Certificate of Expenditure.

For further information, please contact the Principal Advisor on 3513 6747 or at nso@qed.qld.gov.au.

OVERVIEW OF REPORTING DOCUMENTS

SCHEDULE 1A – FUNDING SCHEDULE

The Schedule 1A is an important reference document that provides a summary of Your approved project/s and the funding details for each funded project, for each calendar year of the service agreement. Funding is allocated based on a school year and cannot be carried forward into the next calendar year.

The information in the schedule is produced automatically by the department’s database, based on Your application for funding, reallocation requests and variations to the agreement.

The Summary of Project explains the service, equipment and resources that will be provided by You and the Funding Details itemise expense types requested in Your application. The schedule shows the funding amount Sought and the amount Granted and the geographic area for service provision.

The number of Children Sought shows the number of children who have received services from You in the 12 months (1 July 2014 – 30 June 2015) prior to the submission of the application. The number of Children Granted is the number of eligible students who have received Your services at school, at the request of the school.

SCHEDULE 2 – PROGRESS REPORT

(DUE ANNUALLY IN JUNE)

The Progress Report is a one page document produced automatically by the department’s database and shows Your approved funding for each calendar year of the agreement. This document should be completed mid-year, each year, in relation to the project expenditure. A new schedule will be provided if ‘Additional’ funds have been allocated in that year.

If there is significant under expenditure of the grant, contact with the NSO secretariat is required. A reallocation of funding between expense types or a refund may be necessary. A request for a specific reallocation of funding can be made in writing at any time of the year.

AUDIT STATEMENT

(DUE ANNUALLY IN JUNE)

The Audit Statement verifies that the specific purpose funding was expended as per the requirements of the Service Agreement and as described on the Certificate of Expenditure.

The Audit Statement is due annually in June for the previous calendar year e.g. the Audit Statement due 30 June 2017 is for the 2016 calendar year.

The Audited Statement must record, separately from all other income and expenditure, details of the receipts/income, disbursements/expenditure, assets and liabilities of the Service Provider relating to the Grant and the performance of its obligations under the agreement, as well as, demonstrate that all Grant funds were used for the sole purpose of the Project.

Auditors should continue to use their own templates/layouts/stamps etc. on their company letterhead (e.g. Scope, Audit Opinion, Statement of Income & Expenditure).

STAFFING INFORMATION AND MONITORING COMMITTEE

(DUE JUNE 2016 ONLY UNLESS THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN MEMBERSHIP)

This form should be completed and returned to the Principal Advisor of the NSO Program by the end of June of the first year of the agreement. Staffing Information relates to those employed to provide education services using the NSO Program financial contribution.

The Monitoring Committee is the forum to monitor/review Your education service provision practices in response to requests from schools; and to verify the accuracy of the information provided in the project Evaluation Report at the end of each calendar year. There are specific requirements for the Monitoring Committee process which are stipulated in the Funding and Service Details, clause 5.2 (b) of the Service Agreement.

Further reporting for the Staffing Information and the Monitoring Committee is only required if there have been significant changes in staffing or membership of the Monitoring Committee during the term of the Service Agreement.

SCHEDULE 3 – PROJECT EVALUATION REPORT

(DUE ANNUALLY IN DECEMBER)

Educational accountability reporting is a tool to help with understanding how an organisation

provides support to schools by describing the expected cause-effect relationships between

funded activities and the outcomes they should produce.

Whilst the professional service delivered by all NSO funded projects support enhanced

educational outcomes for eligible students; the NSO service does not have responsibility for

implementing a student’s education support plan. The funded project is expected to contribute

to the improved educational and personalised learning outcomes of eligible students; however,

the achievement of these outcomes is beyond the control of the NSO service alone.

The focus of the Project Evaluation Report is therefore on the contribution the services make

to support the school to assist student’s access to and participation in the curriculum on the

same basis as a student without a disability.

Services provided are at the request of the school and a list of the schools serviced each

calendar year is required. Organisations must also provide details of the ‘Distribution of

Labour’. This information demonstrates the array of professionals employed by You to provide

the services requested by schools. Funded resources and specialised equipment used by

these professionals must also be identified.

Feedback from Schools – School Survey

As a part of the Project Evaluation Report organisations must conduct an annual survey of

schools that have received services, resources and/or specialised equipment from You during

the current calendar year. Organisations may adjust the survey document to meet their specific

education evaluation needs.

The collated feedback from the school survey will provide You and the Strategic Governance

Group of the NSO Program with evidence and a clear understanding of the effectiveness and

value of Your services, resources and specialised equipment provided. The collated

information should clearly reflect the effectiveness of Your collaboration with school staff in

supporting eligible students.

The feedback received from schools relating to ‘About Our Service’ allows organisations the

opportunity to celebrate positive responses; to provide comment about the survey responses

from schools and to describe changes made as a result of school feedback.

Case Studies

Case studies should allow the reader to develop an understanding of the NSO funded services

provided by You. It is an opportunity to impart a richer understanding of how You provide

support to schools and eligible students; to describe the impact of Your services on the

student’s enhanced access and participation at school and to describe the effect of Your

intervention on the student’s educational outcomes.

If an organisation receives funding in more than one NSO funding category, the case studies

should illustrate how the services/ activity/ specialised equipment/ resources provided by You,

have impacted on the educational outcomes for the student e.g. students receiving school

support and specialised equipment. Case studies should reflect individual student support and

outcomes and where appropriate, case studies of intervention and support at the school level

for multiple students.

SCHEDULE 4 – CERTIFICATE OF EXPENDITURE

(DUE ANNUALLY IN DECEMBER)

A Certificate of Expenditure is produced by the department’s database for each funded project.

The certificate shows the details of Amount Granted and identifies Your GST category.

Reallocations – You can request a reallocation of funds (between expense types) at any time

during the calendar year. All requests must be in writing and, if approved, noted on the

certificate with details and the approval date. Reallocation requests must be completed by

January for the previous calendar year.

Refunds – When You have not spent the total allocation of an expense type and have not

requested or had approval for the reallocation of these funds, a refund must be furnished. The

department will send a Recipient Created Adjustment Note to You after the refund amount has

been confirmed by You.

Each certificate must be completed on both sides and returned in a timely manner.

COMPLETING YOUR REPORTS

SCHEDULE 2 – PROGRESS REPORT

(DUE ANNUALLY IN JUNE)

Each year prior to June an updated template for the Progress Report will be sent to You e.g.

ACTION: Review Your expenditure for the current year then complete all sections of

the schedule and return via email to the NSO secretariat (nso@qed.qld.gov.au).

You should make a written request for a reallocation of funding if You anticipate significant

under expenditure in a particular expense item or in the overall expenditure.

AUDIT STATEMENT

(DUE ANNUALLY IN JUNE)

ACTION: The Audit Statement must be completed by an independent auditor and must:

(i) record, separately from all other income and expenditure, details of the

receipts/income, disbursements/expenditure, assets and liabilities of the Service

Provider relating to the grant and the performance of its obligations under the

agreement, as well as, demonstrate that all Grant funds were used for the sole purpose

of the Project;

SCHEDULE 2

PROGRESS REPORT NON SCHOOL ORGANISATIONS PROGRAM

Organisation Name:

Project Name:

Reference Number: 2016/XX

Amount Granted: 2016 $35,000 2017 $42,000 2018 $43,000 Total $120,000

Expenditure to date: _

If the expenditure is less than 1/2 the amount granted, provide an explanation:

(ii) identify the funding source e.g. “We have audited the attached special purpose financial

reports for the Queensland Department of Education, Non School Organisations (NSO)

Program funding…”; and

State or reference the following:

The name of the organisation

The Project name

Funding source

Attachments, including Statement of Income & Expenditure, Certificates of Expenditure, etc.

Suggestions to ensure that the audit statement meets reporting requirements:

Use business letterhead

Number each page of the report including attachments

Attach a copy of the completed Certificate of Expenditure (provided as previous compliance documentation) for each project, then stamp, sign and date each certificate

The statement could include wording such as: “we have audited the attached financial report/s comprising of:

The Summary of Income and Expenditure, and/or The Certificate of Expenditure, and/or

A Statement of Significant Accounting Policies”.

STAFFING INFORMATION AND MONITORING COMMITTEE

(DUE JUNE 2016 ONLY UNLESS THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN MEMBERSHIP)

ACTION: Complete the staffing information in relation to those who are employed to provide

NSO services.

ACTION: Complete the Monitoring Committee membership information (see below) in relation

to those who provide feedback to both You and the education sectors about service provision

matters, including innovation in service provision.

SCHEDULE 3 – PROJECT EVALUATION REPORT

(DUE ANNUALLY IN DECEMBER)

Funding Categories: School Services, Education Support Services, Resource Centres, Specialised Equipment

Each of the funding categories has a separate Project Evaluation Report, although they follow the same general format.

1. Each category must provide a service provision statement.

ACTION: You should provide a brief statement describing the specific project and the complementary services, resources and/or specialised equipment that have been provided to schools to enhance the educational outcomes of eligible students.

2. Each category must include a list of schools that have received a service during

the calendar year.

ACTION: Provide a list of schools that received a service from You during the reporting period, using the template provided. The Services Provided to Schools Template is available on the NSO website with these guidelines.

3. Outreach and Regional Services

ACTION: School Services: Attach the itinerary for school visits that require overnight accommodation, including the number of visits to each geographical area and the duration of the stay. Use the format below.

4. Distribution of Labour – School Services, Education Support Services and Resource Centres

NOTE: One full-time equivalent (FTE) position = approximately 1500 hours per year of time

available for work activities, after deducting hours for annual leave, public holidays and sick

leave.

ACTION: School Services, Education Support Services and Resource Centres: Estimate

the number of the hours worked in the different activities for each NSO funded staff member.

ACTION: School Services and Resource Centres: Provide a brief description of related

funded activities e.g. conference attendance.

5. Equipment and Resources

ACTION: Specialised Equipment: Complete the table by listing the specialised equipment

purchased for this project with a unit price over $100.

ACTION: Education Support Services, Resource Centre: Provide a sample list of the

specialised equipment and adapted educational resources purchased to support the project

and give examples of its use.

Item

Use of item

ACTION: Resource Centre, School Services, Specialised Equipment: Use the format

below to provide the details of school requests for specialised equipment and resources.

Item/resource category

School/s requesting item

Number of students using item

6. School Survey

ACTION:

Add Your logo to the School Survey and adjust the document as necessary to meet

Your organisational requirements

Send the survey to schools for completion

Collate the survey results

The collated survey results from the school should:

describe the services delivered

describe the effectiveness of the services, equipment and resources

explain how effectively You collaborated with school staff to support identified

students

provide comments and suggestions about the services You provided

ACTION: Describe the actions taken by Your organisation in response to the feedback

from schools.

7. Case Studies

Provide case studies that are as representative as possible, considering factors such as

disability, year level, schooling sector, location and the type of intervention.

If You support several students at one school, Your case studies could reflect how services

are provided at the school level and focus on the professional learning sessions and

collaboration with school staff. Explain how this type of support to schools will impact on the

enhanced learning opportunities of eligible students.

ACTION: Provide case studies that: describe the services requested by the school with a brief description of the student’s

needs; explain the collaboration and communication between the school and You; detail the services, equipment and resources that You provide; describe how the provision of specialised services and equipment has impacted on

the student’s access to the curriculum and educational outcomes; describe the outcomes for the student/s; and reflect on the impact of Your services to school staff and students and explain the

difference Your service has made.

There is no word limit for the case studies. The critical requirement is for the reader to have a clear understanding of how support is provided to eligible students at school and how the service has enhanced the educational outcomes of students.

Number of students

Suggested number of case

studies

Up to 50 5

More than 50 10

The template is provided as an aide to preparing simple case studies. It is an example only.

Case Study Template – Example only

1. Case Study: Student’s first name

2. School & Location of service

3. Background - Give details of the student, verified disability and the history of support

services. Identify the specific need/s that you responded to.

5. Intended outcome/s: Describe the specific educational outcomes sought for this student or

these students.

6. Describe the intervention strategy and the service provided in line with the education support

plan. Describe the intervention strategy in chronological order, including any milestones or key

phases in the intervention. Include a description of the professional staff involved and how

they collaborated with other agencies. Report any data gathered during the intervention.

7. Conclusions, outcomes and recommendations

Describe the most important points in the case study for other practitioners:

What worked as well as what didn’t work?

What changes could be made to improve the intervention and the outcomes for the

student/s?

How might the learning’s be transferable to other students or situations?

SCHEDULE 4 – CERTIFICATE OF EXPENDITURE

(DUE ANNUALLY IN DECEMBER)

ACTION: Complete the expenditure for the current year only. A template for the Certificate of Expenditure will be sent to you prior to the due date.

The Amount Granted column in the template is already populated by the department’s database.

The Total Expenditure for this Project column should show how much of the funding listed in the Amount Granted column You were able to spend in the funding year.

If there are unspent funds, You can either choose to send a request for Reallocation to move unspent funds into another expenditure group or you may choose to Refund the unspent funds to the Department.

Organisation Details:

Project Name: School Services Project

Reference Number: 2016/X

Period of Project: To

STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURE - please complete each box

Details Amount Granted

Total Expenditure for this Project

Refund

Funding Year : 2016

Equipment $1,500.00

Prof Development $5,000.00

Salary - OT $50,500.00

Salary - SLP $95,000.00

Travel $2,950.00

Total (without GST)

+10% GST

Total Paid (incl GST)

$154,950.00

$15,495.00

$170,445.00

ACTION: Approved Reallocation Notes: state the date of approval and specify the approved changes.

ACTION: Under expenditure that hasn’t had a Reallocation approval must be returned as a Refund. Refund amounts must be listed in the Refund column of the Certificate of Expenditure.

Contact the NSO secretariat to commence the refund process. A Recipient Created Adjustment Note and the DET banking details will be sent to You so that a refund can be provided.

NOTE: If Your organisation is registered for GST, 10% GST will be added to the Amount Granted by the department. When returning unspent funds, GST must be added if You were paid GST.

Example 1 - GST must be added to the refund.

Example 2 - GST should not be added to the refund.

Department of Education

ACTION: Complete all sections of the second page of the Certificate of Expenditure.

- Queensland Government

/ /

/

/

Name of Governing Authority:

GLOSSARY

Adjustment

A measure or action taken to assist a student with a disability to participate on the same basis as other students – Disability Standards for Education 2005.

Department The Department of Education, Queensland.

Organisation The NSO Program funded organisation delivering the support services.

Outcomes

All the impacts or consequences of the project. Outcomes are often delayed or long term and they may be intended or unanticipated, positive or negative.

Project

The NSO Program funds projects within each of the program funding categories. Projects have specific purpose, expense items and particular outcomes they are trying to achieve, and have defined start and finish dates.

Reallocation

Organisation funding redistributed to existing expense items, after project funding approval has been given.

Us, We or Our

Means the State of Queensland acting through the Department of Education, Non School Organisations Program.

You and related parts of speech or grammatical forms

Means the funded organization.